Railway-signal switch



Oct. 27, 1925. 1,558,813

- H. KASSIK RAILWAY SIGNAL swncfl Filed A ri; 6, 1925 3 sheets-sheet 1 gINVENTOR HENRY KAssm ATTORNEY Oct. 27,1925- KAsslK' RAILWAY SIGNALSWITCH Filed April 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g a INVENTOR v HENRY KHSSM vBY ATTORNEY H. KASSIK RAILWAY SIGNAL SWITCH Filed April 6, 1925 sSheets-Sheet s INVENTOR HENRY KASSlK ZZWJA/W ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27,1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY KASSIK, or YONKERS, NEW YORK.

. RAILWAY-SIGNAL swircnr.

Application fi led April 6, 1925. Serial No. 20,994.

of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Signal Switches, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to railway switch signals and particularly tosignals for single track roads. a s

One of the objects of the present invention is to' devise a simple andpositive signal for street railways of the single track type.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a stretch of track, and thecircuits for the signal lights. i j l Figure 2 is a front view of asignal box with the front wall removed in the interest of clearness. p a

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the box shown in Figure 2 takenon theplane indicated by the lines 33 of Figure 2 and look ing in thedirection of the arrows, and also showing a secondfbox placed againstthe back of the one shown in section. V

Figure 1 is a detail view taken on anenlarged scale showing the contacthead and its housing and their positions relative to the trolley feedwire. a

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the plane indicated by the lines55 of Figure 4c and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, AF represents a stretch of singletrack railway. At suitable intervals along the track are locatedswitches or sidings, two of such sidings indicated as BC and D--E beingillustrated in Figure 1. At such sidings, cars 6 pass each other. Thecurrent for propelling said cars 6 is supplied, as is ordinarilythecase, from the overheadtrolley feed wire 7, which current passesthrough the car and back through the rails to the source of supply as iscommon.

At a point opposite each of said sidings or switches is located andmounted in any suitable manner a pair of signal boxes 8 arranged baelrto back as shown in Figure 3 so that one is facingin a southerlydirection and the other in a northerly direction as viewed fromFigure 1. Said vbQXes ,8. are provided with signall'ightsjQ, whichlights inform the operator of thef car whether' to I proceed or to stopon the siding until the car coming intheoppositejdirection passes hiscar on saidlsiding. ,jv'lhe prese tmvem tion is concerned with theautomatic light-v ingand extinguishing of said-lights 9fin the signalboxes Mounted on the overhead trolley wire 7; at, a point adjacenteachend of'tne switch sections and on thebranc'h trolley wires1-10 ateach end of the sidings is ainetal housing 11. -As allof the housings llwith their associated parts are constructed thefsamc, a description ofone will sufficefor all. Be: ferring particularly to Figures 4 ands,saidihousing 11 comprises a metal U-shaped box carriedon the rod12,which is ordina rilyused for mounting the trolley ear or member 13which supports the trolleymfeed wire 7. Said housing- 111s insulatedfrom the rod 12 and trolley ear 13 bymeans of the insulated bushing 14and washerfl5-,' respectively. Secured to the 'undertsurface of the topof said housing 11, atone side thereof and adjacent its end, isawmetalcontact head 16, substantially Lshaped. Said contact head 16 isprovided with an oif-setportion 17 which bulges inwardly toward thetrolley wire 7 or branch wire 10.. The head" 16 is insulated from thehousing 11 by means of theinsulated strip 18 placed therebetween, whichstrip 18 is secured to the housing by means of the screws 19. 'Saidcontact head 16 is mounted on said insulated strip 18 by means of thescrews 20, surrounding the shanks of which and betweenthe heads of whichscrews andthe surface of the contact head 16 through which said screws20 pass are spiral springs 21. By reason of this construction, saidcontact head is capable of yielding from its normal position shown infull lines to the position shown in dotted. lines in lfiigure 5; As willbe apparent from Figure 5, the contact head 16 ispositioned sufficientlyclose to the wire 7 and branch wire 10 to permit the trolley wheel ofthe car which runs along said wires to come into contact with the head16, which trolley wheel a upon coming in contactwith said head 16 forcesit to yield somewhat thus making a positive contact. The contact head 16is operativelyconnected to the lights 9 in the signal boxes 8 as will beexplained hereim after.

much vas all if signel se v3 a e similarly dohstpudteld a description ofone, with particular reference to Figures 2 and 3, will be sufficient.Said box 8 comprises the usual back, front, top and'bott'om walls, withan opening 22 in the front wall thereof through which the lights QareWisi-ble, said opening 22 being protected by a screen 23. Secured tothe top w all dftheboir is a P e a n eks mber. as for pport: teale 11"use; it being understood a Single-light or any mutte of right st} may ip showing ar e611 ual way'to saidsoclget merriv f which leadsdow'n; We,sly-tea us d some; post 265 matinee an thierea'r wallo'f-the boxMonIitedonthe ravwau 0 1 th'eb'ox' and disposed ntrauy t r o s a fiatmetal contac new; Whisk "OIiti iiiiousY electrical so net means ythereto. FlXetitO said wallof theboii at a point above sai p ate 2 isarr-ak me 3 5 offtti'ngportion 30' ov'erlyingsaid plate 271 antl'foimdiwith an opening in its free end, Also ffiire'dy tofth'e rear wall on thesidefof thef'braclret 29 opposite the contact pastes is'abreaking post31. Pivotally on a stud secured'to the plate the free end of which stud32 passes through .the op'e iing" in'the free end of the offsetportionBQof thebracketQE), is a fork member, tlie'p i'ongs 33 of whic'hare adapted tof'bie' -'el into" engagement with either post 26 61 post'il. The'handle 3 L of said forl rmernber ifsslotted as at 315. Alsopivotmountedonsaid stud 32 is a yoke member fihaving an opening initsbottom end. Piyota'lly' secured to theslotted portion 35 fithejhandle 34bit the forl; n ember is a pin" 37, the free, end of whichpassesthrough the opening in the bottomi e'nd said yoke niee berse.Surrounding [said pin '87 is a spiral spring 88, one "end of whichengages the 'haiidle 34C of the fork member and the other endrestsagainst the bottom end of said yoke"iiiertlbeftlfi. Fixed to the rearwan ofthe box at a'po'int below the contact plate 27j and disposed in aline therewith is aliearing' block "39. An elongated metal plate l O is'supported on said block 39 by means of a screw tlpassing through anelOligIELted slot l-2 formed in said'plate 40 thi'sscrw andslotarraiigement permitting said plate to take a vertical inci ement.()ne efidofsaid'pla'te40 is connected'to the yoke member 8 6 an d' theother'end is secured to aiihtherwooden plate 43 of the same; shape.Dependingfromahook l i carricd at the end of the plate 43 is a metalcontact brush or finger s5. Supported on brackets 46 mounted adjacentthe bottom of the box are twofsets o'f magnets 47, two of such magnet'scomprising 'a's'et. Mounted at the top ofthe top' inagnet and atthe bottom of the provided to prevent the finger 45 from clinging to?the magnets; 47, said finger 45 by reason of said nails immediatelyreturning to its normal or inoperative position which is between the twosets of magnets.

will bis-apparent from Figure 2, the point around fork member and he ,yk 1 bitr5iv aiidtheYj fi'eW rp ing. he ;.p a ;e so a e in ui s ent Othat f t i f llg 'tfi'h s d t r. n line with sa d. P nt nd s fety :1. thr b pbs tibs e aid fin r T 5 w en hZQf WQ 553 of 1 m gne s 113's] herenbs f i stated. Any'moyement ofth'efork m ter and ek mem er ar un theirpivo P- gamma n'of the spri s;- Whe set draws thefinger lS oyertowardyit'there moving the plate 43, plate 40, yoke 36 fork 'member sothat one prong33 of thelatter is moved into contact with either post 26or post 31. When prong 33 of the fork member is in contact with post26the circuit for the lights is closedand when the prong 33 is incontactwith post 31 said circuit is broken. i i

The circuits(f0r north traffic) for energizing the sets of magnets 47'for closing the lighting circuit andlighting the lights 9 in the boxfacing south at switch B-C and the lights 9 in the 10021 facing north atswitch D E are as follows: for the lights in the box facing south atswitch B-C; from trolley feed wire 7, trolley wheel, contact head 16',conductor 49, wire 50, magnet 47 and wire 51 which is grounded at 52 forthe lights in the box facing north at sw'itch D 11 which'lights arearranged in series with the lights in the boX facing south at switch BC; from trolley feed wire 7, through the trolley wheel," Contact head16, conductor 49, wires 53 and 54, magnet 47 and'wire 55 grounded at 56.

The circuits (for north traffic) for energizing the sets of magnets 47for putting out the lights 9' in the box facing south at switch BC andthe lights 9 in the box facing north at switch DE are as follows: forthe lights 9 in the box facing north at switch D'E; from trolley feedwire 7, through the trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 57, wire58, magnets 47, wire 55 to theground at 56'-for the lights in the boxfacing south at switch B-G: from trol-' ley feed wire 7, throughthetrolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 57, wires 59 and 60,magnets 47-, and wire 51 grounded at 52.

The circuits (for north trafiic) for energizing the sets of n'lagnets4-7 for lighting the lights 9 in the box facing south at switch DE andfor the lights in the box (not shown) facing north at the nextsucceeding 'wire'7, through the trolley wheel, contact head 16,conductor 61, wire 62, magnets 47, "and wire 55 to the ground atv 56;for the lights in the box (not shown) facing north at the nextsucceeding switch (not shown) from trolley .feed wire 7, through thetrolley .wheel, contact head 16, conductor 61 and .Wire 63.

9 lights 9 .the ground at 52.

For traffic moving in a southerly direction, the circuits for energizingthe setv of magnets 47 for lighting. the signal lights 9 will now bedescribed, The circuits, for energizing the sets of magnets 47 forlighting the lights 9 in the box facing north at switch D-E and thelights 9 in the box facing south at switch BC are as follows: for the inthe box facing north at switch DE; from trolley feed wire 7, throughbranch wire 10, trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 67 wire 68,magnets 47 and wire 55 to the ground at 56 ;for the lights 9 in the boxfacing south at switch BC; from trolley feed Wire 7, branch wire 10,trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 67, wires 53 and 50, magnets47 and wire 51 to The circuits for energizing the magnets 47 for puttingout the lights 9 in the box facing south at switch DE and for puttingout the lights inithe box (not shown) facing north in the last precedingswitch (not shown) are as follows: for the lights in the box facingsouth at switch D-E; from trolley feed wire 7, through branch wire 10,trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 69, wire 70, magnets 47 andwire 55 to the ground at 56 ;for the lights in the box not shown) in thelast preceding switch (not shown) from trolley-feed wire 7, throughbranch wire 10, trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 69 and wire71.

Thecircuits for energizing the magnets 47 for putting out the lights 9in the box facing north at switch DE and the lights 9 in the box facingsouth at switch B-C are as follows: for the lights 9 in the box facingnorth at switch D-E; from trolley wire 7, branch wire 10, trolleyWheel,con-

, tact head 16, conductor 72, wires 59 and 58,

magnets 47 and wire 55 to the ground at 56;for the lights in the boxfacing south at switch BC; from trolley wire 7, branch wire 10 trolleyWheel, contact head 16, conductor 72, Wire 60, magnets 47 and wire 51 tothe ground at 52. i

The circuits for energizing the magnets 47 for lighting the lights 9 inthe box facing,

north at switch 13-0, and for the lights in the box (not shown) facingsouth in the next succeeding switch (not shown) are as follows: for thelights in the box facing north at switch 13-05 from trolley Wire 7,through branch wire 10, trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 73,wire 74, magnets the lights 9 to the contact post 26 is a wire 25. Thecircuit for the lights 9 is as follows: from wire,7.6, through branchwire 77, lights 9, wire 25, contact post 26, through prong 33 of thefork member, stud 32, plate 27 and, wire 28 to the ground. As will beunderstood, when the fork member is moved. so that its prong 33is-snapped into engagement with the contact post 26 the circuit for thelights 9 is closed, and when the prong 33 of said fork member comes intoengagement with post 1 31 the circuit is broken.

Referring to Figure 1, the operation of the system is as follows: As thecar 6 is about to leave the switch BC, as illustrated, its trolley wheelcomes in contact with the contact head 16 in the housing 11. Ashereinbefore explained, this causes current to flow from the trolleyfeed wire 7 through the trolley wheel, contact head 16, conductor 49,wire 50, magnets 47 and wire 51 to the ground. This causes theenergization of magnets 47 which draws the finger 45 toward'thatparticular set of magnets. The drawing of the finger 45 over toward themagnets moves the fork member so that its prong 83 comes into contactwith the post 26, thus closing the circuit over which the current forthe lights 9 flows, and lighting the lights 9 in the box facing south atswitch BC. Current also flows simultaneously from conductor 49 throughwire 53 to the magnets 47 for lighting the lights 9 in the box facingnorth-at switch D-E, thus simultaneously lighting said lights. As thecar proceeds to the next switch D-E, its trolley wheel comes intocontact with the contact head 16 in the housing 11 located at thebeginningof the switch D-E. Curadapted to engage either said contactpost or said breaking post, a spiral spring capable of pressing againstthe handle portion of said fork member to hold one prong thereofnormally in engagement with either said contact post or said breakingpost, a contact finger operatively connected to said fork member, setsof magnets mounted in said box and disposed at either side of saidcontact finger, said magnets capable of drawing said contact finger toeither side of the pivot point of said fork member whereby said forkmember is moved against the action of said spiral spring into engagementwith either the contact post or the. breaking post, respectively, uponthe energization of the magnets, and means cooperating with said trolleywheel for energizing said sets of magnets.

7. In a railway signal switch, in combination with the trolley wheel ofa car, a signal box including signal lights, a circuit for lighting saidlights, a contact plate mounted in said box and connected to oneconductor of said lighting circuit, a contact post carried by said boxand connected to the other conductor of said lighting circuit, abreaking post mounted on said box, a fork member pivotally mounted onsaid contact plate and in continuous engagement therewith, one of theprongs of said fork member adapted to engage either said contact post orsaid breaking post, a spiral spring pressing against the handle portionof said fork member to normally hold said fork member in engagement witheither said contact post or said breaking post, sets of magnets mountedin said box, connections between said fork member and said magnets forrocking said fork member about its pivot point, said connectionsincluding a yoke member pivotally mounted on said contact plate andadapted to cooperate with the handle portion of said fork member, anelongated plate connected to said yoke member, a wooden plate fixed tosaid elongated plate and a contact finger carried by said wooden plate,said contact finger being normally disposed between said sets ofmagnetsand capable of being drawn toward either set of magnets upon theirenergization for rocking said fork member, a circuit for energizing saidsets of magnets and means cooperating with said trolley wheel forclosing said circuit.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY KASSIK.

